Frequently Asked Questions
- How the Courses Work ?
- When do I receive the Course content I have just purchased ?
- Are you having problems with our Checkout?
- Billing
- Offline Payments
- I recently upgraded to Internet Explorer 7.0 Browser and can no longer login succussfully.
- Certificates
- Copyright
- Course Assessment
- The FREE Big '5' Course
- Free Lessons / Components
- Game Ranging, Field Guiding and Wildlife Management - what is the difference ?
- I have just bought a course, what happens now ?
- Imagery
- Online Courses
- Registration
- Security
- Student Discounts
- Student Top 100
- Username and Password
- Accreditation
- EcoLife
- FGASA - Field Guides Association of South Africa
- Who are the courses for ?
- Practical Courses
- Work Opportunities
- The Show Must Go On - The AfriCam Story
A. All the WildilfeCampus courses are correspondence courses offered online over the Internet. You may access the material online or download it in .pdf (acrobat) format.
Please note: You will not receive any physical product from WildlifeCampus.
A. Yes, however these are generally short 10 - 20 question tests, in True/False and multiple choice format.
They are automated, and may be taken at anytime, your assessment is instantaneous.
A. Since the Course Content is in DIGITAL FORM you will have instant access to the material.
All you need to do is click the My
Courses button , and you will be taken to your own personal content page, where all your course content can be accessed.
A. If you cannot pay through our system, e-mail us at info@wildlifecampus.com
or use the
Contact Us
page.
A. This may depend on where you are in the world. Verification of your credit card details generally takes between 10 and 60 seconds.
Q. Since the prices are all in South African Rands (ZAR), how do I pay in my local currency ?
A. If your credit card account is not in South African Rands, our payment gateway automatically converts your purchase into your local currency.
Your bank statement will reflect the purchase in your local currency. Due to currency fluctuations, there might be a slight difference in your local currency amount, paid from your date of purchase to that reflected on your statement.
A. Since WildlifeCampus is a division of Ripple Effect 4 (Pty) Ltd., the creditor on your statement will be this company, and not WildlifeCampus.
Your bank statement should reflect the SA Rand amount of your purchase converted into your local currency.
The amount converted from SA Rands is done at the international exchange rate on your date of purchase.
A. Certainly. Simply add a course(s) as though you were going to pay by credit card. Then, instead of proceeding through our online payment gateway, click the "purchase offline" link. This will send us your request and we'll contact you directly.
If you have any questions, please e-mail us at
info@wildlifecampus.com or use the Contact Us
page.
A. The new Internet Explorer 7.0 browser treats the WildlifeCampus website as a pop-up website after login.
Solution # 1:
- Go to the Tools Menu
- Select your pop-up blocker settings
- Allow access for
- www.wildlifecampus.com
- www.re4.co.za
If you are still unable to login, please contact us directly by e-mail:
info@wildlifecampus.com.
A. A Certificate Course is a course where successful graduates are issued a Certificate.
Non-Certificate Course are interest courses and no Certificates are issued to graduates.
Q. Which of the WildlifeCampus Courses are Certificate Courses ?
A.
- Game Ranging
- Wildlife Management - co-confered with EcoLife
- Captute, Care & Mngt of Wildlife
- Trails Guiding - co-confered with Eco Training
- Game Lodge Management - co-confered with Wilderness Safaris
- Game Ranch Economics
- Snakes & Reptiles
- Behaviour Guide to African Herbivores
- Primates
- Carnivores
- Mammals of the Lowveld
- Marine Biology
- Wildlife Photography
- Intro to Photography
- Astronomy
- Survival
Q. Which of the WildlifeCampus Courses are Non-Certificate Courses ?
A. The Big '5', African Folklore, Birding by Habitat, The Guides Guide to Guiding, The AfriCam Book, The FGASA Exam Preparation and Discovering Wilderness are non-certificate courses.
No Certificates will be issued to graduating students for these courses
Q. When will I receive my Certificate ?
A. All the Certificates earned during each calander month are processed, printed and posted in the first week of the following month, with the exception of Subscriber Certificates.
Certificates for courses completed under our Subscription option are processed in the middle of the month.
A. Yes they are. All imagery and text seen on WildlifeCampus is protected by copyright and remains the property of Ripple Effect 4 (Pty) Ltd, unless the specific image or text bears an alternative copyright notice or reference. All downloaded files, components and PDF files are fully copyrighted as above.
Q. May I copy and use the images ?
A. Imagery that belongs to WildlifeCampus / AfriCam may be copied for personal use only. Imagery that bears copyright information from a source other than AfriCam may not be used in any form.
Q. I want to use specific images for commercial purposes, what do I do ?
A. Please direct any requests for using imagery commercially to info@wildlifecampus.com
or use the
Contact Us
page.
A. There is a short assessment for each of the Components of a Course.
For example since the Game Ranging Course has 82 Components, there are 82 short tests for this course.
A. When you open a course component, you'll see a Take the Test option in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
You may attempt the assessment at anytime, although we recommned that you review the course material first.
A. The assessments are in the form of True/False and Multiple Choice format. There are between 10 and 30 questions per test, depending on the length of the Component.
Q. Is there a final exam for any of the Courses ?
A. No, the form of continuous assessment described above constitutes the complete examination process for the WildlifeCampus Courses.
Q. What happens if I fail my assessment ?
A. You may redo any assessment as many times as you need to until you attain a passing grade of 60%. There is no charge for re-taking the test. However, once you have passed, you can''t take it again to get a better grade, without re-purchasing that component
The FREE Big '5' Course
Q. How do I get the Free Big "5" Course ?A. Simply click the Big "5" Course button from the homepage and register, which is Free.
The Big "5" Course will be automatically assigned to you when you register.
A.
Module # 1 - The Big "5"
Module # 2 - Approaching Dangerous Game
Q. Is the Big'5' Course accredited ?
A. No, this is a short course, that does not carry any accreditation. It serves as an introduction to our Accredited Game Ranging Course.
Free Lessons / Components
Q. What am I obliged to do or pay if I do the Free Lessons ?A. The Free Lessons are not only FREE of payment, but also FREE of any obligation.
Please feel Free to try out all 25 Free Lessons , there's one from every full course on offer.
Click here to go to the Free Lessons page.
A. The term "Game Ranging" has become misunderstood following years of incorrect use. It is actually an historical term implying the physical management of conservation areas. However, it is now used to describe Field Guiding. The WildlifeCampus Game Ranging Certificate is in reality a Field Guiding Course.
Q. What does a Field Guide do?
A. Field Guides are primarily responsible for guiding tourists through conservation areas, either on foot or in vehicles.
Q. Game Ranging and Wildlife Management ?
A. Wildlife Management is essentially the modern term for Game Ranging.
Q. What does a Wildlife Manager do ?
A. The Wildlife Manager is concerned with all the aspects of managing a conservation area. This includes topics such as fire management, suitable game species, game capture and translocation, wildlife diseases and parasites, stocking rates, and the compilation of a wildlife management plan. As a career, a Wildlife Manager is tasked with assessing and analysing conservation areas and developing, designing and implementing strategies according to pre-determined objectives.
I have just bought a course, what happens now ?
Q. I have just bought a course, now what ?A. As soon as your transaction has been completed, your course(s) will be immediately available from the My Courses page. By clicking on this button, you will be taken to the list of components, modules or full courses you have purchased.
Q. Will I be sent any course content by post ?
A. No, remember that all course content is delivered in an online format, only. You may however download the content in acrobat (.pdf) format, to either print or view offline.
Imagery
Q. Where does all the imagery come from ?A. Wherever possible, we have used Africam highlights selected by the Africam community. However, a portion of the imagery has been kindly supplied by a number of additional sources.
You will recognise these images by the Embedded copyright. Should you wish to use any of these images, please contact WildlifeCampus for the owners contact details.
Many thank to our many contributing photographers.
A. No: You may take any course in any order or in any combination. However, if you have no background in life sciences or natural sciences, the Game Ranging course is recommended as a good starting point. In addition, there are no entrance requirements or fixed starting dates for any of the WildlifeCampus courses. You may register for and begin any course at any time.
Q. Do I have to do all the components in a Module to qualify for Module completion?
A. Yes, all components within a Module must be completed in order to qualify for the associated Module Badge. However, all the components may be taken individually.
Once you have completed all the components in a Module you will be awarded with the appropriate Module Badge, which will be displayed on our "Top100" pages.
A. Yes, it is very important that you supply your real e-mail address during registration. It is to this address that we will automatically e-mail you your password. Without your password you will be unable to access certain areas of the WildlifeCampus site.
Remember that registration is completely free of both cost and obligation.
A. You may register and begin a course at any time that is convenient to you.
Security
Q. I am concerned about using my credit card on the internet. What can I do ?A. We absolutely guarantee that your credit card details cannot be abused by on-line payments using our system.
Q. I cannot view my shopping cart or checkout page. All I get is a "Page cannot be displayed message"
A. This is due to the fact that WildlifeCampus uses the very best in encryption technology, which means that your Internet Browser may require a small and easy change of Settings.
Step # 1 - Click Tools on your Browser menu
Step # 2 - Click Internet Options
Step # 3 - Click the Advanced tab
Step # 4 - Click Restore Defaults
Step # 5 - Click Apply and OK
This should fix your problem.
A. A. This is due to the fact that WildlifeCampus uses the very best in encryption technology, which is unfortunately not supported by your version of IE. By upgrading to IE 6.0, you increase your encryption capabilities, and thus will be able to view our secure payment pages allowing you to view your cart and checkout. You may download this Free software by going to our Login & Shop Errors page under the Help menu.
Student Discounts
Q. Do I receive a discount if I register for more than one Course, Module or Component at a time ?A. Absolutely. You will automatically receive 15% off your first purchase, irrespective of how many Courses, Modules or Components are in your Shopping Cart.
Student Top 100
Q. How does the Student Top 100 work ?A. The Top 100 is firstly calculated by the number of Modules and Components completed, and then by the average grade obtained in the Tests.
Username and Password
Q. What is my WildlifeCampus Password? I didn't get to choose one.A. WildlifeCampus automatically selects a random password for you and e-mails it to you directly after a successful registration.
You are welcome to change it at anytime on your "My Details" page (Maroon Nav Bar).
A. Your username will be displayed on our Top 100 lists should you qualify. Your password however is totally secure and only you have the ability to view it and change it.
Accreditation
Q. Who accredits the Certificate in Game Ranging ?A. This qualification is fully accredited by Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA).
EcoLife
Q. What is EcoLlife ?A. Ecolife is a private company based in South Africa.They divide their services between Wildlife Management Consulting and Wildlife Management Expeditions.
They provide services towards wildlife and ecotourism management and research towards establishing nature reserves and ecotourism management on an ecologically and economically sound footing, optimising local community participation and wildlife.
Q. The EcoLife Practical Course
A. EcoLife provide a practical course related to our Online Wildlife Management Course. Please see our Practical Partners page for more details or e-mail EcoLife at: wild@ecolife.co.za
Q. Who operates EcoLife ?
A. Ecolife is Owned and operated by Professor Wouter Van Hoven, world-acclaimed authority on Wildlife Management, a Professor with the University of Pretorias Centre for Wildlife Management, head of Angola's National Parks, President of the Kissama Foundation and the 2002 Winner of the Green Trust Award for the re-establishment of the Quiçama National Park.He is vice-president of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation, adding a great deal of credibility and expertise.
Q. What does EcoLife do ?
A. They consult with both urban and traditional Wildlife Management Programs, Game Reserve Development, Ecotourism, Local Community participations and are closely associated with the Kissama Foundation in Angola, The Wild Foundation in the USA and the Centre for Wildlife Management in South Africa and assist in a number of projects in Africa. Please visit their website at www.EcoLife.co.za
FGASA - Field Guides Association of South Africa
Q. What do FGASA do ?A. FGASA is the current regulatory body for Field Guiding in South Africa.
Q. Since WildlifeCampus are FGASA Accredited Trainers, do I automatically become FGASA accredited after completing the WildlifeCampus Game Ranging course?
A. No, FGASA still require you to join their organisation and pass their exams. Our accredited status means that FGASA have examined our courses and find that graduates of our Game Ranging Course will have no problem passing their theory exams (75 % required) on their Levels # 1 and # 2; and graduates of our SKS (DA) course will have no problem passing their SKS (DA) theoretical exam.
Q. What kind of courses does FGASA offer ?
A. None, they are only an examining body, they do not offer any of their own courses. Anyone may also simply join and write their exams without having completed a course previously. However, such candidates will struggle to pass thier exams without either prior experience or having completed a prior course.
Q. How do I become a legally qualified Guide ?
A.
- Get a FGASA theory qualification by writing a FGASA exam.
- Let a FGASA evaluator practically evaluate you for the theory level you have completed.
- Theory & practical evaluation will be RPL'd.
- FGASA qualification will be converted to a national qualification.
- FGASA will collect your national qualification from THETA.
- FGASA will send the certificate to you.
- Take the national certificate to DEAT.
Who are the courses for ?
Q. Who can register and complete the courses ?A. Anybody may register and complete any of the courses. You may complete the courses for pure enjoyment or study for the full qualification. There are no entrance requirements of any kind.
Q. At which age group are the courses written for ?
A. For self-study we recommend that students be at least 14 years old. However, we encourage parents to log-on with younger children for an interactive learning experience.
Practical Courses
Q. Can I do the practical courses without doing the on-line courses ?A. Yes, all of the practical courses may be taken without doing the on-line courses. Also any of the on-line courses may be done without having to do any of the practical courses.
Q. How can I find out more about the Practicals ?
A. Please visit our Practical Partners Page for more information and their direct contact details.
Q. Are these Practical Courses run by WildlifeCampus ?
A. No, all the associated practicals are run by separate companies, selected by WildlifeCampus as being industry leaders in their respective fields.
Work Opportunities
Q. If I pass the Full Game Ranging (Field Guiding) Qualification, where could I find employment ?A. This qualification has been widely accepted by the South African wildlife and tourism industry.
Many past graduates are currently employed at many of South Africa's top game lodges.
We cannot, however, guarantee you a position. Neither can we comment on any work restrictions for non- South Africans.
A.
are niche agencies specialising in placing Field Guide and Lodge Management staff.
Remember to tell them that you were sent by WildilfeCampus.
The Show Must Go On - The AfriCam Story
Q. Is this a Course ?A. No. This is a Virtual Book about the rise, fall and resurrection of AfriCam.com . It is a work of non-fiction and chronicles the history of AfriCam from early 1999 until the present.
Q. Is this book available in hard copy?
A. Yes it is. You can order your copy from www.africambook.com.